TRANSFORMATION OF UNIVERSITIES AND THEIR CHALLENGES IN THE MODERN ERA

Author: Ahmed Qazimi

Technology is reshaping the way we think, which requires not only changes in teaching methods but also a shift in the overall approach to education. Universities must evolve from institutions that merely distribute knowledge into collaborative laboratories where understanding is constructed collectively. Otherwise, knowledge risks declining to levels that no longer serve societal competitiveness. Michael Wesch (2008) also criticizes the use of technology in teaching, noting that it often distracts students and diverts attention from core issues.

Wesch observes that today’s generation relies heavily on technology and perceives knowledge differently. Higher education cannot be isolated from the daily lives and work of young people. The challenge is not simply to teach but to engage students in ways that make knowledge meaningful, collaborative, and applicable.

Increasingly, education is viewed as a market commodity. The economic dimension dominates, treating education as a “product” that enhances economic efficiency in a globally competitive environment. Reforms aim to create a “common education market,” which has led universities to behave like market-oriented organizations, similar to other public services.

But can a university really be compared to a factory production line? Universities have inputs—professors, students, facilities, and working conditions—and are expected to produce quality outputs such as degrees and knowledge. Yet this model raises critical questions: Is the student, as a paying “client,” always right? Can quality truly be managed this way?

The neoliberal approach to higher education has had tangible consequences:

• Decline in service quality

• Reduction of academic positions

• Increase in tuition fees (self-financing)

• Higher student-to-professor ratios

• Greater workload for teachers, often at the expense of research

Universities compete for more students because more students bring more funding. Vodičar (2013) asks: Should universities primarily create economically successful individuals or people who know how to think? In the U.S., many young technology leaders were not academically outstanding students, raising questions about how we define “success” and the role of education in a technology-driven, market-oriented world.

Global participation in education is rising due to demographic and economic growth, as well as changes in public policies. Meanwhile, populations are aging, and the global mobility of talent is reshaping knowledge geographies. This is a global endeavor influenced by geopolitical factors, and its success or failure reflects a country’s ability to generate knowledge and attract talent. Geopolitical tensions create both competition and collaboration in knowledge and science—the foundation of 21st-century economies. Industries 4.0 and 5.0 are transforming work and labor markets. While most new jobs require high-level qualifications, there is ongoing demand for mid- and low-skill employment (Hazelkorn, 2023).

This text was developed under the project “Representation for Inclusive Development”, financially supported by the Government of Switzerland through the Civica Mobilitas program. The content of this text is the sole responsibility of the Forum for Reasonable Policies, IOHN, and BIRC and does not reflect the views of the Government of Switzerland, Civica Mobilitas, or its implementing